Key holder



Oct. 14 1524.

- G. H.- HUFFT Km HOLDER fined a 26 192s NVENTOR. I (720739? flaw zzflf A TTORNEYS Patented Oct. 14, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE HOMER HUFFT, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

KEY HOLDER.

Application filed November 26, 1923. Serial No. 677,059.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE HOMER HUFFT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Tulsa, in the county of Tulsa and State of Oklahoma, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Key Holders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in key holders, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a key holder of the type described in which means is provided for enabling the user to select a certain key or holder without the necessity of selecting the key visually. My improved holder is so constructed as to per mit the user to feel the selector levers with his fingers and locate the second, third, or last selector member as the case may be, whereupon movement of this selector memher will bring the desired key into a prominent position so that it may be removed for use.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described in which the keys may be readily removed from the holder. this holder be attached to some part of the garment of the person using the holder, and kept in that position while in use.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described in which means is provided for facilitating the ready replacement of the key upon its proper supporting member, without the necessity of watching the operation. This is most important, since many times keys will be removed from the holder and replaced in total darkness.

A further object of my invention is to provide a key holder which is compact in form, which normally holds the keys in a certain predetermined position relative to one another, which is simple in construction, and which is thoroughly practical for the purpose intended.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the ac- It is my intention that companying drawings forming part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of my invention,

Figure 2 is a view along the line 2--2 of Figure 1, and I Figure 3 is a front elevation of a portion of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 1.

In carrying out my invention I make use of a body member 1 formed of flat sheet metal and having tubular portions 2 formed on either side thereof parallel to one another. A plurality of aligned tubular portions 3 are provided on the upper edge of the member 1.

A rectangular frame 1 is disposed so that two of its side walls are partially disposed in the tubular portions 2, and one end is received through the aligned tubular portions 3 of the member 1. The remaining portion of the frame (see Figure 1) depends from the body portion 1.

The body member 1 is provided with a plurality of holes 5 therethrough by means of which the body member may be secured to a leather strap having suitable covering flaps over the entire key holder. I have not shown the leather strap or flaps, since this structure is ordinary, and does not form an essential part of my invention.

A plurality of hangers 6 are hingedly mounted upon a portion of the frame 4 be tween the tubular portions 3 of the body member 1, (see Figure 2). These hangers 6 have outwardly extending portions 7 which I choose to call selector members. These selector members 7 extend sufliciently out from the hinge support 4 of the hanger 6 to enable the user of the key holder to readily locate the different hangers 6 by touching the selector members 7. The depending portions of the hangers 6 are formed in much the same manner as the ordinary type of belt buckle, (see Figure 1), i. e., the depending portions are substantially rectangular in shape and are provided with a cross piece 8 intermediate their length. The extreme lower end of the hangers is turned rearwardly as shown at 9. Aplu- -rality of spring clips 10, consisting of a single strip of metal having their adjacent ends 11 and 12 overlapping are suspended upon the cross piece 8 of the depending por- 'as shown in Figure 1, is found.

tions of the hangers 6 so that the lowermost end of the clips 10 he beneath the hangers 6 and substantially beneath the pivotal supports at the hangers. Keys such as those indicated 'in Figure 1 at 14 are suspended from the lower portion 13 of the clips 10, one or more for each of the clips. These clips 10 may be removed from the hanger 6 by pressing the portion 11 inwardly away from the portion 12 and removing the clip from its support upon the cross piece 8. It will be noted therefore that the clip is at all times secured to the key, and in case ct removing the key from the holder, the key is removed with its clip.

Means for normally holding the hangers 6 in the position shown in'Figures 1 and 2 is provided in a spring pressed loop 15 of wire having its lower ends 16 pivotally supported upon the lowermost end of the frame a. A torsion spring 17, connected at one end with the adjacent end 16 ot the loop 15. and at the opposite end with an enlarged portion 18 of the frame 4:,serv8s to hold the loop 15 in the position shown in Figural.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation there of may be readily understood. In using my improved key holder, the holder is supported as described by means of a belt or the like upon the body of the wearer in a fixed position. 'If it is now desired to use one of the keys from the hOlder,let us say the key marked Yale in Figure 1, then. the user will feel the selector member 7 with his fingers until the third one from the right, He will then draw upwardly on the member 7 and the hangers 6 upon the clip 10 upon which Yalekey-is carried will be movedupward- 1y on its pivotal support 41. At the same time, the spring pressed loop 15 will be thrown upwardly and the clip 10 with its hanger 6 will lie above the upper end 19 of the loop 15 The clip 10 may then be readilyremoved from the hanger 6, and the key employed at will. At the time that the key is removed from the hanger, it will be noted that the hanger 6 is resting on the top of the loop .15 and not in its. normal position. Because of this fact, the user when through with the key may readily replace the clip upon its proper hanger 6,, and a simple movement vof the loop 15 away from the frame at will permit the hanger 6 to return to its normal position. i

It will be noted that the loop 15 tends to hold the hanger 6 in a substantially vertical position, and therefore prevents move- :nient of the keys outwardly when not in .use. i v

claim: 1 A key holder of the type described comprising .a body member, a pluralityof hangers pivotally supported upon said body member, each of said hangers having outwardly protruding selector members and a plurality of clips for supporting a key, said clips being arranged to be snapped into en gagement and to be supported by said hangers. 1 1

2.11 1 key holderof the type described comprising a body member, a plurality of hangers pivotally mounted upon said body member in parallel relation to one another, each of said hangers being provided with an outwardly protruding selector portion, whereb said hangers may bemovledupon their Pivotal support selectively by manual pressure applied to said sel ct r member,

and a plurality of clips, each arranged to? support a'key thereuponysaid clips being arranged to engage with said hangers, and to be suspended therefrom.

3. A keyholder otthe type described comprising a bod member, a plurality offhangers pivotally m unted upon saidbedy member in parallel relation to one another, each of said hangers being provided with an outwardly protruding selector portion,

whereby said hangers may be moved upontheir-pivotal support selectively by ual ressure applied to said selector member, a plurality of clips, each arranged to support a key thereupon, said clips being arranged to engage with said hangers, and

to be suspended therefrom, and-means associated with said body member for yieldebly holding said clips and said hangers in close engagement with said body member.

4. A key holder of the type described comprising a body member, plurality of hangers pivotally mounted upon said body member in parallel relation to one another, each of said hangers being provided With an outwardly protruding selector-portion, whereby said hangers may be moved upon their pivotal. support selectively by manual pressure applied to said. selector member, a plurality; of clips, each arranged to support a ke t-hereu on said clins beino arran ed t engage with said hang an t be suspended therefrom, and spring pressedrneans for yieldably holding said clips and said hangers in close en agement with id b d me h eby d s lec or mem eer a y project outwardly from said body member, and be readily accessible.

A ey h l er o the yp des ribe comprising a body member, a p urality o hangers pivotally mounted upon Said body member in parallel relation to one tn er,

each of said hangers being provided wit. an

outwardly protruding Iseleetor tion, whereby said hangers inlay be m redrp their pivotal support selectivelyby manual pressure applied to said selector member, a plurality of clips, each arranged to s,upp,ort

a key thereupon, said clips being arranged member, and be readily accessible, said to engage with said hangers and to be susspring pressed means being also adapted to pended therefrom, and spring pressed underlie said hangers and said clips when 10 means for yieldably holding said clips and said hangers are pivoted outwardly from 5 said hangers in close engagement with said said body member by manual force applied body member, whereby said selector memto said selector. bers may project outwardly from said body GEORGE HOMER HUFFT. 

